In 1911 journalist Ambrose Bierce published a scathingly satirical book called The Devil's Dictionary, which contained truer-than-true definitions of everyday words. (Example — Bore: A person who talks when you wish him to listen.) Exactly 100 years later came Martin Olson’s Encyclopaedia of Hell, "a book that was 'written by and for demons, instructing them on how to destroy mankind.'" This encyclopedia is a blisteringly subversive book filled with illustrated definitions in the vein of Ambrose Bierce. Written as if Satan himself was the author, the definitions reveal a dim view of humanity. (Justice: Superstition of humans oppressed by the billionaires who own them. Robot: From the corporate viewpoint, the ideal human being. Soldier: A target made of flesh.) The book is lushly designed by Sean Tejaratchi, publisher of the late, great Crap Hound zine.

Discovered by Dr Marta Kolanowska and Prof Dariusz Szlachetko, both affiliated with University of Gdansk, Poland, together with Dr Ramiro Medina Trejo, Colombia, the new orchid grows a stem measuring between 5.5 - 9 cm in height.

With its only known habitat restricted to a single population spread across a dwarf montane forest at the border between departments Putumayo and Nariño, southern Colombia, the devilish orchid is assigned as a Critically Endangered species in the IUCN Red List.

Religion blogger Fred Clark is fascinated with the urban legends and panic surrounding "satanism," so years ago he set up a Google News Alert for the word "Satanic." Over at Pathos, he posted the funny, ridiculous, and fascinating things he's learned. Here's a sample:

• Every year, dozens of filmmakers try to recapture the magic that made The Exorcist so unsettling. Most fail.

• Pat Boone is still alive.

• The political performance art of the Satanic Temple is both hilarious and pointedly effective. They’re defending the First Amendment the way that we Baptists are supposed to.

• Adolescent legend tripping is happening all the time, every day, somewhere in the English-speaking world.

• Adults who should know better are freaking out and over-reacting to adolescent legend tripping all the time, every day, somewhere in the English-speaking world.

When I was ten, my friend and I got excited by the rumor that if you play Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust" backwards, it says "Smoke marijuana." We tried it and it sounded clear as day! Then we played it for my dad who laughed and said that to him, it sounded like "Go to California." Of course, this was during the heyday of fantastic urban legends about the occult and backmasking in rock music. Evangelist Michael Mills fueled the insanity with this 1981 radio broadcast, featuring bits by Black Sabbath, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Judas Priest who famously went to trial (and won) over bullshit accusations of backmasking.

In the weirdness that is issue #72, The Pussycats (along with mean-o-nasty non-Pussycat member, Alexandra) ditch their guitars and amps, and head off to pay their respects to Alexandra’s recently departed grandfather at the local mausoleum. For some reason Josie wanders off to some bizarre lower chamber of the mausoleum and is enveloped by an “invisible malignant presence.” After that, Josie goes on a punk-rock style rampage smashing stuff up. When Josie has a psychotic reaction after coming in contact with a copy of the Bible that the clean-cut gang just happened to have lying around, things get really fucking weird (if they weren’t weird enough already).

Unsure what to do about local Satanists who wanted to present the opening prayer generally reserved for adherents of Jesus at a City Council meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, the council has ended the tradition.

The Satanic Temple -- a pair of fun-loving, non-Satan-believing religious freedom activists -- unveiled the statue of Baphomet they plan to put on the Arkansas State Capitol's lawn to complement its existing Christian iconography.
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Remember the fun Satanic Temple that fought to put a statue of Baphomet on the grounds of the Oklahoma Capitol and held a "pink mass" at the grave of the mother of Wesboro Baptist Church founder Fred Phelps to turn her "gay in the afterlife?" The New York Times talked to the Satanic Temple's two chief instigators, "Malcolm Jarry" and "Lucien Greaves" (aka Douglas Mesner), about their approach to poignant political pranksterism in the face of conservative Christianity. Read the rest

Megyn Kelly was prepared to argue with a moron when she invited the Satanic Temple’s Lucien Greaves on her Fox News program, The Kelly File. It soon dawned on her that Greaves was articulate and intelligent, yet she was unable to deviate from her script and as a result, she ended up looking foolish and had to resort to scolding him that she was lawyer, so her opinion had to be correct.

Greaves was the guy who proposed to erect a statue of Baphomet on the Oklahoma state capitol to “complement and contrast the 10 Commandments [monument on the capitol], reaffirming that we live in a nation that respects plurality, a nation that refuses to allow a single viewpoint to co-opt the power and authority of government institutions.” On Tuesday the Oklahoma Supreme Court ordered the removal of a Ten Commandments monument, and as a result Greaves decided not to erect the Baphomet statue.

Kelly attempted to get Greaves to acknowledge the validity of Attorney General Pruitt’s argument that the Ten Commandments have “historical meaning,” but he parried, saying that he would do so only if she acknowledged that Baphomet had a similar significance. “The image [of Baphomet] goes back to the 19th Century,” he said, “so it’s at least as old as Mormonism.”

It's been a year since we featured the amazing, Satan-and-sasquatch themed Christmas sweaters at Middle of Beyond, and they've brought out their new line, which includes a 2D tiger-skin rug, Shining runners, a D20 rug, D20 sweaters, Satanic cardigans, zombie Santa sweaters and so much more. I know what everyone's getting for Krampusmas this year!
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This pentagram visible on Google Maps is located on the shore of the Upper Tobol Reservoir in Kazakhstan. It's either an evil etching created by the ancient astronauts who were also Satan's minions, or the outline of a park built in the shape of a star during the Soviet era when that symbol was quite popular. You decide. (Yahoo! News)Read the rest

Uncle Acid and the deadbeats are an excellent retro psychedelic metal band from the UK. (Peter Bebergal talked about them on last week's episode of GWeek.) This video is for "I'll Cut You Down" from their album Blood Lust. They also have a new record out, Read the rest

In this terrific video, Church of Satan founder Anton LaVey talks about how his interests in the arcane, magic, and showmanship were inspired by the mentalists at old time carnival midways. He also recalls his experiences as a professional calliope player in the 1940s-1960s and plays a few delightful tunes. (Thanks, Jenny Hart!)

UPDATE: BB pal COOP says, "This footage is from a documentary by Nick Bougas. These keyboards were set up in the kitchen of the Black House. I spent many nights in that kitchen listening to Dr. LaVey play. He had an encyclopedic knowledge of popular music, and could play almost any song that came up in discussion." Read the rest

Invisible Brooklyn, sellers of fine curiosities and devilish artifacts, just posted two terrific tomes from the early 1900s to Instagram. I think both would best be enjoyed accompanied by a puff on the antique skull pipe, while wearing a smoking jacket. Red, of course. Read the rest